UberPop driver wins ‘landmark’ unfair dismissal case
Lawyers have hailed a court ruling in favour of a former UberPop driver as a breakthrough for workers’ rights in Switzerland. Last week, a Lausanne employment tribunal ruled that the driver was unfairly dismissed by the ride-hailing company.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
The court confirmed that the driver was an employee of Uber and should enjoy the same rights as a taxi driver who has a contract with the taxi company. The case has been reported by the SonntagsZeitung and Le Matin Dimanche newspapers as the first such ruling in Switzerland.
The driver worked 50.2 hours per week for the Uber Dutch subsidiary Rasier Operations between April 2015 and December 2016, reported the Swiss News Agency Keystone-SDA.
The driver was dismissed after complaints were made against him. But the Lausanne court ruled that the complainant had not been given a fair chance to respond to the accusations.
Raiser must now pay the former driver, who lives in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, CHF18,000 ($17,700) in compensation for unfair dismissal and for missed holiday entitlements, it is reported.
Uber differs from other taxi firms primarily in that it does not own cars or directly employ drivers, but connects passengers and vehicles via its app. But this arrangement has been sharply criticised by trade unions as violating employment laws.
“This case is very important,” the complainant’s lawyer told the newspapers. “The decision may motivate many people to ask for the same thing. Hundreds of drivers in Switzerland could also assert their rights.”
Uber could appeal the ruling, but if it becomes final the company may be obliged to pay social security contributions, accident insurance, sick days and holidays for the drivers, according to the newspaper reports.
More
More
Uber recognised as professional ‘call centre’ in Lausanne
This content was published on
The controversial ride-hailing app service Uber now operates with professional drivers and is recognised as a “call centre” in the Lausanne area.
How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?
Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?
What do you think Switzerland’s Alain Berset can bring to the Council of Europe?
The former interior minister is to become the first Swiss Secretary General of the Council of Europe – which issues should his five-year term focus on?
Sylvain Saudan, ‘skier of the impossible’, dies aged 87
This content was published on
The Swiss father of extreme skiing pioneered descents from the Alps to the Himalayas – and became the sport’s first star.
Hayek family buys additional Swatch shares for nearly CHF11 million
This content was published on
Following the acquisition of registered shares worth over CHF20.6 million on Monday, the Hayek family made another purchase on Tuesday.
Suicide capsule to be used in Switzerland this year, says euthanasia organisation
This content was published on
The organisation “The Last Resort” has confirmed that the suicide capsule Sarco is to be used in Switzerland. This should happen this year, it said.
Ukrainian children flown to Switzerland for cancer treatment
This content was published on
The Swiss air rescue service Rega flew two Ukrainian children with cancer to Switzerland from a hospital in Kyiv hit by Russian missiles.
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF10 million for victims of extreme weather
This content was published on
The money raised will be used to help those affected by the recent storms and flooding in the cantons of Ticino, Graubünden, and Valais.
Swiss giant Roche given green light for lung cancer drug in Canada
This content was published on
According to a recent study, Roche’s Alecensaro reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 76% compared to chemotherapy alone.
Swiss luxury watch market hit hard by China-led slump
This content was published on
Sales of Swiss-made luxury watches are in sharp retreat as nervous consumers reconsider splashing out on expensive timepieces and demand slumps.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss court finds in favour of Uber
This content was published on
Zurich’s Social Security Court has found that Uber drivers in Switzerland are not employed by a Swiss firm; they have a contract with a Dutch one.
Swiss bike couriers take out protection against Uber Eats
This content was published on
The courier employer’s association Swissmessengerlogistics (SML) negotiated the contract with the trade union SyndicomExternal link on Tuesday. It guarantees a minimum hourly wage of CHF 20.35 ($20.40), regulated surcharges, on-call services, schedules within a 42.5-hour week and paternity leave. The deal is being hailed as the first of its type among the urban courier industry…
This content was published on
Uber is present in Zurich, Basel, Geneva and Lausanne with 300,000 regular customers and some 2,600 drivers in Switzerland, Salom told SonntagsBlick. But it has also run into some difficulties with local authorities, trade unions and taxi drivers who complain of unfair competition. “Yes, we made mistakes. We wanted to grow too fast, we were…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.